Get Involved - K-12 Assessment Reform Network (ARN)

Welcome to FairTest's Assessment Reform Network — a national project created to support parents, teachers, students and others who are working to end the overuse and misuse of standardized testing in public education and to promote authentic forms of assessment.

Our goal is to open the doors to disadvantaged children by removing barriers to achievement, while improving the quality of education for everyone. Our primary strategy is to facilitate an exchange of ideas, resources and strategies among a wide audience. If you want to learn more about testing and assessment, talk to others who share your concerns, or learn how to take action, the ARN is a great place to get started.

This site is continually expanding so check back regularly to stay updated on recent news. Please share information you think should be included on the site. Click here for more information about ARN.

The Assessment Reform Network project includes the following resources:

Informational Resources

The Case Against High-stakes Testing provides a wide variety of materials - research reports, flyers, brochures, facts sheets, opinion editorials, statements and resolutions -- all of which explain why high-stakes testing should be stopped.

The Case for Authentic Assessment explains how authentic forms of assessments can be used to support student learning and make improvements in schools. Examples of assessments, proposed models for state-level school accountability systems, research and news articles are provided.

Accountability focuses on analysis and critique of current accountability. This section contains articles and links that analyze and critique current standardized test-driven models of accountability and alternative ideas, models and practices for accountability.

Organizing Support

ARN Organizing Toolkitexplains the nuts and bolts of organizing for change, with detailed explanation of the activities and tactics that have been used by others to build public awareness, gain media exposure, and convince policy makers to end harmful policies.

Stories in Assessment Reform provide detailed chronological stories from a few ARN participants about how they organized to change testing policies.

Media Advocacy

Our Media Guide provides a range of tips and strategies for successfully working with the media. Sample press releases, opinion editorials, letters-to-the editor and other resources written by ARNers and FairTest are included.